Convection current motor



Nov. 12, 1935. E, R, ROACH www CONVECTI ON CURRENT MOTOR Filed Nov. 3,1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z'fl 227. Eea/civ Atvtofmey Nov. l2, 1935. E. R,RoAcH CONVEGTION CURRENT MOTOR Filed NOV. 3, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventor E. R. ROACH CONVECTI ON CURRENT MOTOR Nov. 12, 193.5.l

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 3, 1954 Patented Nov. 12, 1935 Parisi'ooNvEc'rIoN CURRENT Mo'roR A c.

Earl R. Roach, Springville, Ind. VApplifaiieii November 3, 1934, serialNe. 751,431

v 1 Claim.

This invention relates to motors deriving power from convectioncurrents.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide for utilizing thepower present in the flow of combustion products from furnaces fordeveloping a certain amount of power. Y

Another feature of the invention is to automatically control the speedof a motor by the velocity of the air entering the flue chamber.

l()v Further objects of the invention are to provide a motor'of thecharacter referred to that is strong, compact and durable, thoroughlyreliable for its intended purpose, very easily adapted to largemanufacturing plants that use furnaces and ovens, that is very simple toinstall and requires very little repair after installation.

With the foregoing `and other objects in View the invention consists inthe novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and specication, but it is tobe understood thatchanges, variationsand modifications may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit o-f A the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, top plan View of the device in accordancewith the present invention assembled on a flue chamber,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is an enlarged, detailed vertical section thereof,

Figure 4 isa fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on line 44of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially online 5-5of Figure 3 and looking toward the flue chamber,

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 6-6 ofFigure 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 7 is a vertical section through the top of one of 'the vats takensubstantially on the line 1--11 ef Figure I2,

Figure 8 is an enlarged detailed horizontal section taken through thegovernor.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention l it is feasible in largefactories using large furnaces, ovens and boilers in a segregated areato construct a common flue to carry off the waste gas-es. In thedrawings, I have shown a portion of this main discharge flue indicatedat 9. The flue may be of any area consistent with the amount ofcombustion products to be carried olf from the furnaces and ovens, andin the preferred form I make the ilue rectangular in configuration withthe path of the combustion products discharging parallel to the surfaceof the earth. The flue 9 rests on a very sound "5*l concrete foundationlll that is preferably submerged below the frost line to overcomecontraction and expansion.

In the flue I provide vertically spaced braces l0 to aid in supportingthe chimneys or stacks. l0"

cured in an air tight manner in the upstanding 1:5"

flanges I3. The passages l5 in the stacks or chimneys are disposed atright angles to the y path of the combustion products in the fluechamber ll. Any number of. chimneys or stacks may be used to vent the uechamber to the 20 atmosphere and very good results have been obtained bymaking the height of the stacks or chimneys approximately 50 feet.

The upper end ofthe chimneys I4 are b-aiiled by a dome or cap I6, whichcap is supported on 25 four U-shaped brackets ll, and one leg o-f thebracket is secured to the upper margin of the stacks or chimneys whilethe other leg is secured to the cap or dome. The lower opened end vofthe cap or dome I6 is below the upper end of the 30 chimney so as tobaiile the outgoing product of combustion from the chimney. There is onedome for each chimney.

In the arrangement of the present invention it is to be seen that theflue gases from the fur- 35 naces, ovens and other heating plants shallpass from right to left with respect to Figure 3 of the drawings and upthrough the plurality of chimneys I4, the passages of which are disposedat right angles to the path of the outgoing 40 gases. In combining mymotor there is formed an opening I8 in an end wall I9, which latter Iselect the farthest away from the source of heat. About the openingthere is an outset ange 20 to which is attached the inner end of ahorizon- 45 tally disposed air drum 2l. The air drum 2| is open as at 22on its free outer end. Air drum 2| rests on a pair of spaced foundationblocks 23 to which ar'e bolted the steel straps 2li that encircle theupper portion of the air drum. The 50 foundation blocks 23 rest upon themain foundation IU. It will be seen that the passage of cold air throughthe drum chamber 25 is in direct opposition to the flow of the hotgases'within the flue chamber Il. The path of the cold air 55 throughthe drum chamber is parallel to the path of the hot gases in the fluechamber and the former path is indicated by the arrows in Figure 3 ofthe drawings.

In the outer end of the drum 2| is mounted the drive shaft 26. Driveshaft is journalled at two places in the hubs 28 of a pair of ringbearing supports 21. Ring bearings 21 are disposed diametrically acrossthe drum 2| and are horizontally spaced from each other. The shaft isdisposed co-axial with respect to the drum 2|. Between the bearings theimpeller wheel A is fixed to the shaft 26 and lies within the drumchamber diametrically across the path of flow of the cold air.

The impeller wheel A conformably fits within the drum 2| so as to movetherein without having friction between the inner walls of the drum andyet utilize all the power of the cold air passing through the blades.The impeller consists of a solid rim 29 and a hub 30 connected togetherby solid radial ribs 3|. Between the ribs 3| are a plurality ofsubstantially rectangular openings 32 across which are disposed the finsor blades 33.

A portion of the shaft 26 extends beyond the open end 22 of the drum andis formed at its terminal with a drive pulley 34 and another governorpulley 35. The inner end of a pair of journal brackets 36, 3l aresecured to the side walls of the drum 2|. In the brackets 36, 37 isjournalled the drive shaft 38 of the governor B. On the outer end of thegovernor shaft 38 is a pulley 39 about which is trained .a belt 40 totransmit motion from the impeller shaft to the governor shaft. Adjacentthe outer bearing bracket 36 is xed a collar 4| and adjacent the otherbracket 3'| is a movable collar 42 and both collars are on the governorshaft 38. Abutting the movable collar 42 is one end of a coil spring 43which encircles the governor shaft 38 and is held in position by thebushing 44 xed to the governor shaft. There are two flexible metalstraps 45 having their opposite ends secured to the perimeters of therespective collars 4|, 42fand'fastened to the centers of the exiblestraps are the weights 45. Thus when the governor shaft 38 overcomes thetension of spring 43 the weight 45 moves out- Wardly by centrifugalforce and moves collar 42 outwardly.

In the collar 42 is a channel race 46 in which is movably seated a ringor collar 41 to which is attached the outer end of the damper operatinglever 48.

A damper shaft 49 is mounted in the drum chamber 2| and is journalled inthe diametrically opposite walls of the drum. The shaft 49 car- 5 riesthe control damper 50 and the shaft 49 is connected by the arm 5| to thelever 48. Mounted on top of the drinn are a pair of oil reservoirs 52one for each of the drive shaft bearings 28 and leading from the oilreservoirs are a pair of con- 10 ductor pipes 53 which convey the oil tothe bearings.

It will be seen that when the drive shaft 26 reaches a predeterminedspeed the governor will close damper 58 which will baffle the incoming15 cold air to the flue chamber Although I have shown and described mymotor as beingV particularly adaptable to the flue 9 leading fromfurnaces, ovens and other heating plants, it is to be understood that mymotor 20 will operate from natural draft. In this event.,

I may make the ue Qin the form of a substantially rectangular casing andmount the chimneys I4 on the rectangular casing. Then, the air drum 2|will be mounted on the rectangular 25 casing similar in all respects tothe mounting on the flue 9 as shown in the drawings. In order to obtainmaximum efciency it is necessary to have considerable weight in theimpeller wheel A.

Very good results may be had by making the A impeller wheel A threeinches thick, although I do not wish to confine myself to thisparticular thickness. Y

Having described my invention what I claim as new is:

A device of the class described, comprising an air drum, open at eachend thereof, a pair of spaced bearing supports mounted on the interiorof said drum having centrally disposed bearing blocks therein, a shaftrotatably mounted in'said 40 bearing block, said shaft extending beyondone end of said drum, an impeller secured to said shaft between saidsupports, means on the exterior of said drum communicating with saidbearing block for lubricating said bearing block, a pulley on theextended portion of rsaid shaft, a pivotally mounted` damper in saiddrum, and a governor for actuating said damper, and means connectingsaid pulley with said governor for rotating the same.

EARL R. ROACH.

